Eagle police investigating cancer hoax

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VAIL - Reports of a boy with cancer that sparked an outpouring of sympathy in Eagle County were a hoax.

Authorities are investigating a 22-year-old Avon woman told residents about a local boy who was terminally ill with leukemia. The woman has not been charged with any crime.

The Eagle County Coroner's office said there is no death certificate in Colorado associated with the child. The photo of the boy has been traced back to a Kids Cancer Crusade website and is identified as Connor Gerber, a South African boy who is still alive.

The woman said the boy is a huge football fan and he closely followed the local high school team.